Extreme Microbiology in Yellowstone

Catalog description

Yellowstone National Park (YNP), one of the world’s largest active volcanos, is home to over 14,000 geothermal features which serve as unique ecosystems for many uncharacterized and uncultured extremophilic (extreme-loving) microorganisms. This course will introduce you to the unique Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya inhabiting YNP’s geothermal hot springs. You will learn how microorganisms influence hot springs, contribute to the cycling of nutrients, and how these unique organisms are used in a variety of biotechnology applications. You will also visit these ecosystems on a 3-4 day field sampling trip, and through sample collection, laboratory work, and analyses you will develop culturing.